by350

So it's starting to sound like using milk or buttermilk is acceptable?

Hmmmm...I took a cooking class where they did pan fried catfish and they used buttermilk prior to the cornmeal mixture. Also...you're not talking about deep frying, right? I don't want to fully submerge my filets in oil.

I've tried pan frying catfish filets twice now and both times they get scorched! Here's my setup: Using catfish filets about 1/2" thick...I dunk them in milk and then into the mixture of cornmeal, flour and spices. In a Calphalon hard annodized pan, I heat up about 1/2 C of grapeseed oil until it starts to "dance" and shake a bit. I drop in 2 filets and cook them for about 3 minutes per side. Both times they have scorched on the outside and leave bad tasting black charred crust. If I try to pull them off earlier...they seem to be undercooked in the middle. HELP!

I have been making an asian sauce that calls for arrowroot, but I can't find it anywhere. * Where can you buy this stuff? * How does it compare to Kazu root (what I've been using)?

I have been attempting to recreate that Chinese restaurant taste in my own fried rice, but it's still off. Hoping someone can help. Here are my ingredients: Pre-cooked white rice (cooked before and chilled) Fresh garlic Vegetable oil Oyster sauce Shallots Carrots Bean sprouts This is cooked in a pretty new Calphalon hard anodized wok. How do I get that restaurant flavor that's missing???

How long does fresh ginger root last if kept in a ziplock bag in the fridge once you cut a piece off? Is this the best storage method?

A few questions about garlic: 1. When you buy it...is there a way to tell if one is better than another? 2. Once you break it open and start using cloves...how long does the rest of it last? 3. How powerful is one clove? Are there any guidelines when cooking to know how much to use? Thanks in advance!

Thanks for all the great info. So happy to have found such a great cooking forum!

I registered at Macy's for a full set of the Wusthoff Grand Prix knives. A couple of questions: 1. What is the best way to straighten these knives? My teacher during a HomeChef class had this little box tool that you simply slide the blade between before each use. Also...how often do you need to sharpen the knives? 2. Noticed that the steak knives for the Grand Prix collection are very expensive. $220 for 6 of them. When I was at Crate and Barrel last week they had a set of 4 Wusthoff steak knives that didn't say Grand Prix, but were the exact same design. Black handle with the small silver circle button. These were only $40 for the set of 4. What are these knives? Thanks for any input!

Hi, MatthewB...yes I have read that thread...thanks! I am registering at Macy's. They offer Calphalon, AllClad, Circulon, Anolon, and a few other lines. I'd really like to stick with a Calphalon or AllClad product, but I'm open to suggestions. ALSO...I do NOT want nonstick cookware, correct?

I am an aspiring chef and looking to add some nice cookware to our wedding registry. I have been looking at the Calphalon Commercial hard-anodized set, as well as the AllClad stuff. I'd love to have the AllClad, but it seems to be a bit too pricey. What do you all recommend? If I go with the Calphalon Commercial hard-anodized set...am I making a good choice? I also like that I can find plenty of pieces on sale at Amazon. Thanks for any advice!